User Agent and Assistive Technology Support Notes

The HTML and XHTML specifications allow both implicit and explicit labels. However, some
assistive technologies do not correctly handle implicit labels (for example,
<label>First name <input type="text"
name="firstname"></label>).

JAWS 7.10 was tested on Windows XP with Internet Explorer 6.0 and Firefox 1.5. It
reads the label for explicit and implicit labels for text fields in both virtual
PC cursor and forms reading mode. In forms mode it does not read the label for
implicit labels on checkboxes and radio fields.

Window-Eyes 5.5 was tested on Windows XP with Internet Explorer 6.0 and Firefox
1.5. It will always speak the label for an explicitly labelled form field. It does
not speak the label for the implicitly labelled form control in browse on mode but
will speak the implicit label when navigating from control to control in browse
off mode.

User agents will display a tool tip when the mouse hovers above an input
element containing a title attribute. Title attributes are exposed to
assistive technology and are displayed as tooltips in many graphical browsers.
Tooltips can't be opened via the keyboard, so this information may not be available to
sighted keyboard users.

If no label is available, JAWS and Window-Eyes speak the
title attribute when the form control receives focus

JAWS 6.0 and later can be set to speak both label and
title when the two items are different; however, very few users are
aware of this setting.

WindowEyes 5.5 has a hot key, ins-E, that will display additional information,
including the title attribute, for the item with focus.

Description

The objective of this technique is to use the label element to explicitly
associate a form control with a label. A label is attached to a specific
form control through the use of the for attribute. The value of the
for attribute must be the same as the value of the id
attribute of the form control.

The id attribute may have the same value as the name
attribute, but both must be provided, and the id must be unique in the Web
page.

This technique is sufficient for Success Criteria 1.1.1, 1.3.1 and 4.1.2 whether or not the label element is visible. That is, it may be hidden using CSS. However, for Success Criterion 3.3.2, the label element must be visible since it provides assistance to all users who need help understanding the purpose of the field.

An additional benefit of this technique is a larger clickable area for the control, since clicking on the label or the control will activate the control. This can be helpful for users with impaired motor control.

Note that the label is positioned after input elements of
type="checkbox" and
type="radio".

Note 1:
Elements that use explicitly associated labels are:

input
type="text"

input
type="checkbox"

input
type="radio"

input
type="file"

input
type="password"

textarea

select

Note 2:
The label element is not used for the following
because labels for these elements are provided via the value attribute (for Submit and
Reset buttons), the alt attribute (for image buttons), or element content itself
(button).

Submit and Reset buttons (
input
type="submit" or
input
type="reset")

Image buttons (
input
type="image")

Hidden input fields (
input
type="hidden")

Script buttons (button elements or <input
type="button">)

Examples

Example 1: A text input field

The text field in the example below has the explicit label of "First name:". The
label element's for attribute matches the
id attribute of the input element.

Tests

Procedure

For all input elements of type text, file or
password, for all textareas and for all
select elements in the Web page:

Check that there is a label element that identifies the purpose of
the control before the input, textarea, or select element

Check that the for attribute of the label element
matches the id of the input, textarea, or select element

Check that the label element is visible.

For all input elements of type checkbox or radio in the Web page::

Check that there is a label element that identifies the purpose of
the control after the input element

Check that the for attribute of the label element
matches the id of the input element

Check that the label element is visible.

Expected Results

Checks #1 and #2 are true. For Success Criterion 3.3.2, Check #3 is also true.

If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.

Techniques are Informative

Techniques are informative—that means they are not required. The basis for determining conformance to WCAG 2.0 is the success criteria from the WCAG 2.0 standard—not the techniques. For important information about techniques, please see the Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria section of Understanding WCAG 2.0.